The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a blood testing apparatus and a blood testing method.
As a method for clinical test of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the Westergren method has commonly used. In the ESR test by the Westergren method, first, blood collected from the patient is poured into a blood sedimentation tube. When time elapses, red blood cells (RBCs) settle downward, and blood plasma remains in the upper side. The distance in which the RBCs in the blood sedimentation tube settle corresponds to the length between the upper end of the blood plasma, and the boundary line between the blood plasma and the RBCs. The distance (mm) in which the RBCs settle during a predetermined time period (for example, two hours or one hour) is measured.
In the case where a blood test is to be performed in addition to an ESR test, the tests are performed by using testing apparatuses which are produced respectively as a blood cell counter apparatus and an ESR measuring apparatus. As a result, blood must be sampled for each of the tests, and therefore a large burden is imposed on the patient.
In this connection, Japanese Patent No. 4,648,905 discloses an integrated apparatus including both a blood cell counter apparatus and an ESR measuring apparatus. In the integrated apparatus, in order to enable blood cells to be counted after a measurement of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is conducted on a blood sample, the ESR measuring apparatus and the blood cell counter apparatus are arranged in line. According to the configuration, a blood sample which has been once collected can be used in both the ESR measurement and the blood cell count.
However, the ESR measurement usually requires at least a measurement time which is longer several times than that of the blood cell count. In the integrated apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4,648,905, the ESR measuring apparatus and the blood cell counter apparatus are arranged in line, and therefore the blood cell counter apparatus must wait for the ESR measurement by the ESR measuring apparatus to end.
Therefore, the integrated apparatus has a problem in that, in the case where the ESR and the number of blood cell are measured, it takes a long time to measure them.